2014 NFL Mock Draft: April Showers Edition

With the NFL Draft being pushed back to May, fans will have to wait a little longer this year for one of the NFL’s most popular events. With many of the 2014 free agents finding new homes, this mock draft will be a little different than my first edition. Let’s dig in.

*Note: These are not my personal rankings but rather a scenario of how the board may fall and how teams see a player fitting their system. For my personal rankings, check out the big board. For originality and creativity purposes, I do not read other internet mock drafts a few weeks before creating my latest edition and finalizing the picks.

1) Houston Texans – Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

Clowney is one of the better prospects of the past decade and undoubtedly the best player in this draft class. While his “attitude” has been questioned, his raw talent alone shines on tape.

He often draws double and triple team blocking assignments, opening up plenty of room for his teammates. When given a one on one match up, he has proven to be nearly unblock-able. Pairing him with JJ Watt in the Houston front seven makes pass and run protection an instant nightmare for anyone who faces them.

While I believe Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews is a more NFL ready product, scouts have fallen in love with Robinson’s ceiling. He really came on for Auburn this season, looking like a brick wall at times. He has prototypical size (6’5, 320) and could start on the Rams offensive line from day one, instantly upgrading their run blocking while also protecting Sam Bradford.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars – Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

The Jaguars land the franchise quarterback they have coveted for quite some time. Bridgewater is the only quarterback in this class that should start from day one and Jacksonville is a perfect place for the Florida native to land. If they can find him a play maker or two later in the draft, he will instantly help the Jaguars compete.

4) Cleveland Browns – Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

The Browns land the clear cut best wide out in the draft to pair with Josh Gordon, a top five wide receiver in the NFL. With Bridgewater off the board, the Browns switch their plans and look to add a quarterback later in the draft to compete with Brian Hoyer. With Watkins and Gordon out wide, whoever is quarterbacking is set up for success in the passing game.

5) Oakland Raiders – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

While the Raiders have been knocked for bringing in aging veterans this offseason, the contracts are not as bad as they appear at face value. Many of these players can be released after this year without serious cap penalties. The overall point is, general manager Reggie McKenzie is trying to bring the Raiders out of the abyss.

While McKenzie attempts to rebuild the Raiders image, this pick is a perfect place to start. Matthews is currently the best tackle in this draft class. Greg Robinson has caught a ton of hype (rightly so), but he is not a finished product. Matthews can step in on week 1 and give the Raiders serviceable pass protection and run blocking for Matt Schaub.

6) Atlanta Falcons – Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo

Trading away tons of picks for Julio Jones years ago dismantled the Falcons long term sustainability. Back in the top ten, they need help all over and Khalil Mack is a phenomenal player to start the rebuild on defense. He can rush the passer, disrupt the run, and excel in coverage. He has the potential to single handedly change a defense.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M

I originally had the Buccaneers taking Eric Ebron in this spot and Evans sliding to the Bills. After some thoughts, Evans and Vincent Jackson can cause quite a nightmare for opposing secondaries. Mike Glennon can let it fly, giving him two 6’5 wide receivers will accelerate his development right away.

8) Minnesota Vikings – Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Manziel has been the talk of the 2014 draft class. Some love him, some feel he will not even make it in the NFL. Either way, Minnesota is a superb fit for him. He can rely on the run game with Adrian Peterson while tuning his weaknesses.

Defenses will stack the box against him and Adrian Peterson, opening up the passing game that the Vikings has sorely lacked the last couple of seasons. They can also find a capable wide out in round two to start across from last year’s first round pick Cordarrelle Patterson and the aging Greg Jennings.

9) Buffalo Bills – Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

Until the trade for Tampa Bay’s Mike Williams, I assumed Buffalo would take a wide out here. With Williams and Stevie Johnson locked in, along with last year’s rookies Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin the Bills need a tight end to complete the passing attack.

Ebron has the rare ability to take the top off a defense while playing in-line tight end and in the slot. If EJ Manuel can find a way to stay healthy, Buffalo’s passing attack will be extremely balanced and difficult to contain.

10) Detroit Lions – Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

The Lions have needed a true CB1 for quite some time and Dennard fits the bill. He is physical against both the pass and run. He needs to work on using his hands less down the field, but his ceiling is as high as any corner that has come out in the past few year.

11) Tennessee Titans – Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

Losing Alterraun Verner has left quite the dent in the Titans’ secondary. While Justin Gilbert has been inconsistent in coverage, his size (6’0) and speed (under 4.3-4.4 forty range) are intriguing. His inconsistencies seem more of an effort and technique issue rather than a capability issue. If developed correctly, he has the intangibles of a future top ten corner.

12) New York Giants – Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA

Barr is the defensive wild card in the first round. The former college running back is a demon off the edge for quarterbacks. His hits have taken players out of games and he is a constant threat on passing downs.

While he flashes as bright as any prospect in this class, his hand use while disengaging blocks is a vital concern. Either way, the Giants need a presence off the edge after seeing Jason Pierre-Paul’s play spiral due to injuries and Justin Tuck has left for Oakland. Barr would be a nice addition for Big Blue.

13) St. Louis Rams – Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

The Rams have built a sturdy front seven the past few seasons but definitely need to bulk up the interior line. The 6’6, 311 pound Hageman is one the most talented defensive tackles in the draft. His size and potential are intriguing as well. With Notre Dame’s Louis Nix coming off an underwhelming season plagued by injury, Hageman comes off the board before him.

14) Chicago Bears – Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

I have not seen this even as a thought anywhere, but it would not shock me at all. With Alshon Jeffrey and Brandon Marshall on the outside (a lethal random), Cooks could run free from the slot position. Marc Trestman’s passing offense would be quite the headache to contain with that trio of wide receivers catching passes from Jay Cutler.

15) Pittsburgh Steelers – Louis Nix, NT/DT, Notre Dame

The Steelers have hit a stretch of mediocrity and need to rebuild what was once a dominant defense. The key pieces to their once excellent defense have either aged or been injured too often. Nix brings a presence to shore up the middle of the defensive line and contain the run single handedly at times.

16) Dallas Cowboys – Kony Ealy, DE/OLB, Missouri

The Cowboys secondary was sliced and diced last year verse the pass, but their pass rush did not do them a ton of favors. The loss of Demarcus Ware is a black hole and the freakish Ealy could be a nice replacement. He the best first step off of the line of scrimmage I’ve seen since his former teammate Sheldon Richardson.

17) Baltimore Ravens – C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama

Mosley is a top ten talent in this draft playing an under-valued position. He was a machine at Alabama and possesses very good coverage skills for a linebacker. He can step in for a void that will not be easy to replace, left by Ray Lewis. If any linebacker in this draft is a guy you build a defense around, it is C.J. Mosley.

18) New York Jets – Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

This one might shock Jets fans, but it solves a glaring need on the Jets defense. Many are claiming Verrett is a “slot corner” which is a lazy analysis. While he is a shade over 5’9, he plays as big as most corners in this draft and has displayed the best coverage skills of the crop.

For instance take Nebraska corner Stanley Jean-Baptiste. He is 6’3 but his vertical was only two inches higher than Verrett’s, their broad jumps were equal, and Verrett had better shuttle and 40 yard dash times.

On tape he reminds me of Brent Grimes, one of the better (but undersized) corner’s in the entire league. Rex Ryan loves to move his players around in his defense and Verrett could play from anywhere on the field. This would be an excellent addition for the Jets young secondary.

19) Miami Dolphins – Zack Martin, OT/OG, Notre Dame

Martin dominated throughout his career at Notre Dame playing tackle. His short arms have many projecting him as a guard in the NFL, but either way he is an extremely solid offensive line prospect. Martin would continue the improvements Miami had made on their offensive line all offseason.

20) Arizona Cardinals – Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida

Bortles has been projected as high as first overall to Houston, but he has too many question marks at the moment. Ball security (fumbles) is a big issue in his game along with the level of competition he has dominated. He carries one of the highest ceilings in this draft class though and would be a perfect pick for a team that does not need him to start instantly.

If he can sit behind Carson Palmer for a year, he could be an extremely smart investment with the 20th overall pick.

21) Green Bay Packers – Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech

Aaron Rodgers is a top three quarterback in the league who has a solid supporting cast of wide outs around him. With the departure of Jermichael Finley, Green Bay needs to find a pass catching tight end. Amaro can line up all over the field and fits perfectly into Green Bay’s offense playing alongside Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson.

The Eagles cut ties with superstar wide out Desean Jackson and would be wise to find a youngster to replace the talent void he has left. Jeremy Maclin is coming off a lost season from a torn ACL and Riley Cooper is not a game changing target. Lee was stellar in 2012 but struggled in 2013.

If there is a coach that can help him find the dominance he displayed in 2012, it is Chip Kelly.

23) Kansas City Chiefs – Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU

While Alex Smith does not possess the strongest arm in the NFL, he is a smart game manager that finds his receivers on short routes. Beckham does a nice job of fighting for the ball in the air, often bailing out LSU quarterback Zack Mettenberger. He would fit nicely into the Chiefs offense that needs to add a playmaker across from Dwayne Bowe.

24) Cincinnati Bengals – Dee Ford, DE/OLB, Auburn

With the loss of defensive end Michael Johnson, the Bengals could use an edge rusher. While Ford needs some work against the run, he is disruptive when rushing the passer. Cincinnati is in a good spot with their current front seven to add a player with Ford’s skill set.

25) San Diego Chargers -Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State

San Diego gave up 4.6 rushing yards per attempt last season. They need to plug up the hole in the middle of their defense and Jernigan is an absolute load. When watching his season for a dominate Florida State defense, he jumps out on film. He is extremely difficult to block and could help the Chargers immediately.

The Browns would be ecstatic if this is how the first round plays out for them. They land a dynamic game changer at wide out in Sammy Watkins and a big armed quarterback in Carr later on.

While Carr is not a sure thing (and who is, really?), he dominated throughout his three year career as a starter at Fresno State. He threw for 113 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Surrounding him with an offense that includes Josh Gordon, Sammy Watkins, and Jordan Cameron would give him one of the better supporting casts’ in the entire league.

27) New Orleans Saints – Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State

A lot of people are claiming the days of taking a running back in the first round are over, but that is an extreme statement. The Saints need a 1A runner and Hyde fits the bill. He can carry the rock 25 times a game and is a very reliable receiving threat, a necessity for their pass heavy offense.

28) Carolina Panthers – Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State

Cam Newton has to be concerned as he has witnessed Steve Smith leave and the Panthers do very little in free agency. Adams is a big target that snatches the ball cleanly with his hands at its highest point. If he can learn to beat press coverage in the NFL, he will be a reliable red zone target that the Panthers desperately need.

29) New England Patriots – Jeremiah Attaochu, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech

This pick may come as a shock, but the Patriots are always unpredictable on draft day. Attaochu is an animal when rushing the passer and could be the final piece to a very scary New England defense.

With Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner locking up wide outs on the outside, the pass rush will be key. Last year’s second round pick Jamie Collins burst on the scene and Chandler Jones has been very productive along with Rob Ninkovich who was recently extended.

Attaochu could step into a defense where he would have one job, which would be to get after the quarterback on passing downs. He could excel in this role and make New England nearly impossible to throw against (good luck, Peyton Manning).

30) San Francisco 49ers – Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU

With Navarro Bowman set to rehab his torn ACL the first half of the season, the 49ers need help at outside linebacker. Van Noy makes plays all over the field, both in coverage and against the run.

31) Denver Broncos – Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

Although the Broncos signed Aqib Talib, they could still use another corner. Fuller was impressive last season at Virginia Tech and would be the best corner left on the board at this point. His physicality across from Talib would give opposing wide receivers a difficult time separating early off the line.

32) Seattle Seahawks – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan

Lewan is a top 15 talent suffering from serious character concerns with his potential involvement in teammate’s rape case. The Seahawks lost Breno Giacomini to the Jets in free agency and Lewan would possibly be an upgrade at the right tackle spot for the Super Bowl champions.

Related

I think you are confused about how vertical jumps are measured. To simplify the math, I will do this in straight inches. Verrett is 69″ tall; SJB is 75″ tall. Verrett has 30.625″ long arms; SJB has 32.375″ long arms. They both stand and raise their arms and that is the zero level for both of their verticals.

If we assume that the apex of their heads is the same distance from their shoulder blades for both men (let’s say an even twelve inches), then Verrett reaches up to 87.625″ (69 + 30.625 – 12) before he jumps. SJB reaches up to 95.375″ (75 + 32.375 – 12) before he jumps. Verrett needs to outjump SJB by 7.75″ to cover the same height. In the event, Verrett jumps 39″ and SJB jumps 41.5″. In total, at his best, SJB covers 136.875″ of vertical space – over 11 feet! Verrett, at his best, covers 126.625″, almost a foot less than SJB. This is why Verrett is thought of as a slot corner and why he is often mocked to the Redskins in the second round and why when you watch tape on him, he can blanket a guy and still allow the pass to be caught over his head. If not for his limited height, Verrett would be the top corner in the draft and a top 10 pick. As he is, a team has to be really concerned about the slot receivers it is going to face to take him in the top 20.

I would rather have Beckham, Amaro, or possibly even Lee if Dennard and Gilbert are already off the board. Another interesting possibility is looking to trade down if Bortles does fall that far. At the 18th pick the Texans, Rams, Raiders, and Browns are all sitting without a QB.Great value is bound to fall into the 2nd/ early 3rd and that might be best case scenario to be in position for an early round WR, CB, AND TE depending what talent falls.

Connor Rogers

@Kash

I understand how a vertical measurement works although you’re lengthy breakdown was much appreciated. At the end of the day it is nice that SJB covers more area with his length except the fact that he is about half as talented as Verrett on his best day. The job of a corner is to cover, not look the part while being tape measured.

On top of that, teams aren’t necessarily focused on how high a guy can jump from a standstill (as that rarely happens). Vertical jump and broad jump are really measures of intial explosiveness, an athlete has, from a standing position.

Steve Windeler

It’s a good thing the draft never goes the way it’s predicted. Someone will fall, and Idzick is just the type with the patience to wait, the intelligence to know a great value when he sees it, and the stones to make the pick.

We do know Belichick will take a Scarlett Knight.

KAsh

@Connor

Your whole point was that Verrett was comparable at corner to SJB, which is not true. There are many reasons why SJB is a mid-round draft pick, but there are also many reasons why people do not think Verrett can play on the outside and SJB can. Like I said, if not for his height, Verrett would be a sure-fire top corner prospect. Except you are not going to coach him up to be taller than 5′ 9″, and at that height he gets taken out of plays through no fault of his own.

My point is: why Verrett? He cannot play the role we need him to, and you needed to dig out “plays bigger” and “Rex loves to move pieces around” from the chest of Jets draft cliches to make this sound like a respectable pick. When somebody plays bigger than they are, it means that they are grittier and nastier than others, not that they magically make up their height by trying harder, and while Rex likes versatility, he also never asks players to do what they cannot, which limits Verrett to slot corner. (Our roster also has another Horned Frog corner who was supposed to be one of the best in the draft and a movable chess piece. How did that work out?) If you want to reach for a corner, there is Fuller, and there are better prospects on the outside in the second and third rounds. There are also plenty of guys more talented than Verrett that you let slip past us: Lee and Beckham, Van Noy, Martin and Lewan, Clinton-Dix, Pryor, Ward, and Bailey are all more talented and better value at their positions than Verrett.

LeeBur

Kash- who is this other Horned Frog you speak of? Are you talking about Kyle Wilson? He went to Boise State.

Connor Rogers

@KAsh

You just ruin your own “arguments” over and over again. Kyle Wilson is from Boise State, not TCU. I honestly believe you do not watch a down of college football, especially after you’re clueless analysis of Brandin Cooks last time we went down this road.

If you like other players over Verrett that’s fine, but I thought he fits well. Rex moves his CB’s all over the field. We play Denver, Green Bay, Chicago, Patriots x2 this year. We need as much versatility in the secondary as possible. I’ll take the best cover guy with Dennard off the board already. I’m leaving it at that, thanks for the read.

j

I would be upset with this Ray Mickens clone in the second round. The way this draft falls ,it’s Beckam, Amaro, Lee and then Zack Martin. There will not be a running back chosen in the first round.

shard

Verrett lol

Scott

Connor,

While I think that taking a CB is totally plausible and I honestly haven’t seen too many TCU games to accurately comment on Verrett, the real head scratcher is Cooks to the Bears at #14. As a Jets fan living in Chicago who had the misfortune of watching nearly every Bears game this past year, the one thing they can do is throw the football around and have a ton of weapons to do it. The drafted Marquess Wilson last year out of Washington State and really like him to fill that third receiver option this year. They let Earl Bennett walk but along with Marcellus Bennett and Matt Forte, this team is not struggling for pass catchers.

They do however struggle to do just about everything on defense and need help all over that side of the football. Resigning Peanut Tillman and bringing in Jared Allen might work for a time, but they are just stopgaps parts for an old, slow defense. The secondary and DL are two glaring weaknesses for this team and they would be better off addressing those needs early and often.

Plus, Cooks would look pretty good with the ball in his hands wearing the green and white.

joeydefiant

If the Jets waste a first round pick on Verrett I will be extremely dissapointed. They can probably wait and draft him in the 2nd if they really like him and take Marqise Lee in the 1st.

Connor Rogers

@Scott:

That’s a fair point. I just see Trestman loving the idea of creating a lethal passing attack. They do need a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball. Not sure how their free agent acquisitions will play out but that may open up their draft possibilities in the short term future as well.

Scott

@Connor

I like Trestman a lot. He is a Rex Ryan-type coach on offense, seems like he game plans to his players strengths and gets the most out of them. The defense was just such a disaster last year and there is talk about a Super Bowl run this year that I think they just have to plug in more, younger talent on that side of the ball. But, we saw the Jets go defense/defense last year with their two first round picks so stranger things have happened.

KAsh

@Connor

Since we are telling each other what we really think, I have long suspected that most of your analysis is made after a thorough review of each player’s highlight tape. Earlier this offseason TOJ labeled Mike Evans as “always open” for being three inches taller than the average NFL receiver, but now Verrett can go up against anybody even though he is almost three inches shorter than the average NFL corner. Let’s assume that the Jets will play against Marshall and Jeffery this year: what kind of versatility do you want Verrett to show? Should we expect him to sprout wings for us in that case? Versatility on defense and versatility on offense are two different things. Offense gets to force mismatches; defense must be ready for anyone.

As for his games, I have said that Verrett would be the hands-down best corner in the draft if he was two inches taller and NFL-size receivers could not just play pitch and catch above him; but I do not know how you can watch Verrett’s full season and miss Verrett’s shortcomings. If a receiver was 6′ 0″ or less, Verrett was excellent. But taller, less talented receivers had a much fairer field against Verrett. Verrett can be flawless in coverage and the pass will still be caught because he cannot reach the pass. Verrett will always be in the play (he is that good) and try to affect the outcome, but how do you grade a guy that does everything he possibly can and fails? I do not dislike Verrett, but a bust is a player that gets billed as something he is not.

Connor Rogers

I’m not sitting here telling you that Verrett is going to come in and lock down Alshon Jeffery or Brandon Marshall, it is laughable that you think ANY rookie corner could pull that off. I feel he is a guy that can develop into a CB2 due to his ball skills. He is a half inch shorter than Alterraun Verner, a guy who Jets fans were banging the table for at the start of free agency. Do you know where both make a killing? Anticipation/breaks on routes, playing the ball.

I’m not going to beat a dead horse anymore since you claim I only watch “highlights” yet you are the same guy who told me Brandin Cooks is a bad route runner and Jason Verrett went to Boise State. I could have had the Jets taking Clowney at 18 and you would have presented a graph of the correlation between speeding tickets and NFL careers. There is always something to nitpick.

LeeBur

Connor- that 2nd to last sentence made me spit my coffee onto my monitor. Well played haha.

Just to stir it up a little bit…can someone explain to me why the NYJ couldn’t have offered
Revis the same contract as NE did? Granted, I have ZERO knowledge that Revis would have accepted that from the NYJ. But, if I assume that the reports he wanted to come back were true (and let’s all make that assumption for this..again it’s just for fun), then from a football perspective, and a forward cap perspective, how would this not have been a good move for this year’s team? I fully support Idzik’s commitment to the draft and building depth. However, as a former season ticket holder, I also want the club to do all they can to put the best product on the field at all times. So, while they raised ticket prices, why not bring in a player, who makes your defense significantly better, and doesn’t require anything more than a 1yr commitment that is ‘well within’ your budget?

I’m not an Idzik hater, or FA free spender. I’m just a paying customer who is wondering….

I’m just bored…you can like Idzik’s approach or hate Idzik’s approach, that’s a simple question. As for the article, I can get an article saying the opposite, so it’s just one big circle jerk, I’m simply asking a question.

-Would Revis have made NYJ better?
-Would Revis have killed future cap space?
-Would Revis have hindered current cap space?
-Do the NYJ currently have a proven option at that position?
-By all accounts, would he have been welcomed here?

Tell you what, take out Darelle Revis and put in DeSean Jackson and you can do through the same exercise. DJax would have been a bit more of a commitment, but not ‘cap busting’ by any stretch.

The reason I used Revis wasn’t because I wanted to be argumentative. I used him because the contract he signed is simply a 1yr deal, that would have easily fit into the NYJ cap. Finally, you don’t have to respond.

Actually, I’m wondering why I just responded to you….note to self…

Jeremiah Johnson

Of course all of your “questions” are irrelevant if Revis did indeed accept less money to sign with the Patriots, which you conveniently ignore & runs counter to your assertion that Revis wanted to return.

KAsh

@Lidman

No, Revis would not have made the team better. If he is here for only a year, then, by Idzik’s plan, he is just taking reps away from his long-term replacement. Idzik wants to first build a solid foundation through the draft and then raise the house.

@Connor

One, I have said before we should trade up for Clowney (or Mack), the last missing piece of an unstoppable pass rush, while we can make up for Watkins’s production with two or three receivers later in the draft (where we are thin and can add multiple new players).
That gets us to two, that what I question is not the picks but the reasoning behind the picks. In this mock draft, you picked a corner in the first-round who you think can only “develop into a CB2” (your words, not mine). Earlier, you wanted Cooks, who you thought would be a second slot receiver (who is apparently the fastest receiver, but can never just run past anybody – no, he does not run bad routes; Pac 12 corners are just psychic; Brandin Cooks – the size of Sproles and the route-running of Hill). Should I expect Mike Nugent in a future mock? Do you think we should consider trading up for a punter, too?

As a first-round pick and a top 20 pick at that, I want Verrett to someday shut down a player like Jeffery, not come off the field every time the second receiver is above six feet tall. Milliner might not pan out, and Rex likes to use two #1 CBs anyway. Also, Verner just took three million less per year than everybody thought he would get so he can sit in zone all year for an aging team with a losing record last year. You can get CB2s at any point in the draft – how is getting one in the first round a good idea? Has decades of draft failure caused the fan base to bargain shop in the first round? “Oh, these wideouts might not become the best, let’s get someone who is a sure #2.” “Too much risk with these tight ends and safeties – let’s innovate with a second slot receiver.” If you are that desperate for a corner, trade up for Dennard or Gilbert. But do not get a good corner who will still be there in the second round because of his height and pass it off like a victory. If you are going to eat shit, don’t nibble.

Connor Rogers

@KAsh:

I love watching you continue to embarrass yourself. Cooks is 5’10 and Sproles is 5’6, nice try though. I’m also pretty sure the Jets hope Dee Milliner is the CB1 of the future, so what is Verrett supposed to be? That would make him the CB2 (are you beginning to understand how a football depth chart looks or would you like me to go over what a linebacker is as well?).

As for your constant suggestions of trading up, I do not do that in mocks. It’s impossible to predict. You constantly twist my words and at times I feel like I am addressing someone with the intellect of a seven year old. The best part is, after all of this, you have still yet to mention who was on the board at 18 here who you would have liked better. The reason for that is you would not be happy with anyone I picked, because you come here to complain about whatever is wrong with the article in your eyes.

Connor Rogers

And btw, I enjoy a friendly argument on here as much as anyone. It’s the disrespect you constantly show the writers here that makes me have no remorse for you.

LeeBur

Earlier, you wanted Cooks, who you thought would be a second slot receiver (who is apparently the fastest receiver, but can never just run past anybody – no, he does not run bad routes; Pac 12 corners are just psychic; Brandin Cooks – the size of Sproles and the route-running of Hill). Should I expect Mike Nugent in a future mock? Do you think we should consider trading up for a punter, too?

This makes no sense. The guy had 124 receptions in a major conference. You dont do that without running good routes. He also ran a 4.33 40. Pretty sure he will be able to run past people. Im no draft guru, but when all the major draft people have him as a top 5 WR and a top 20 overall player, Ill take their word over someone who dosent do this for a living.

But I will give you some credit. I dont think taking Verrett at 18 is a good choice. Not because of I dont think he will be good, but because we need more offensive talent. Someone like Cooks or OBJ. Not only can play as our WR2 but will also do returns (assuming Ford will get hurt like he always does)

LeeBur

OBJ…………….This is who I would have taken. Room to improve strength and already “explosive”

STRENGTHS: Smooth athlete with very good acceleration to get up to top speed quickly. Terrific shake and burst out of his cuts to beat press and do something after the catch – dangerous with the ball. Excellent vision with dynamic moves. Good footwork, timing and depth in his routes to create separation and catch the ball well in stride.
Much improved hands, doing a nice job elevating and extending to snare the ball from the air – large catching radius and tracks well. Ball appears to slow down for him at the catch point, making fluid adjustments with natural body control.

Speedy and explosive return man on special teams with vision, awareness and toughness to create – two career punt returns for scores. Consistent production all three seasons at LSU with career-highs in 2013.

WEAKNESSES: Only average height and overall body strength – room to get stronger. Lacks elite speed and can be caught from behind by NFL DBs. Timid at times over the middle.

Has improved leaps and bounds catching the ball with his hands, but he will still have the occasional drop off his mitts. Missed blocking assignment and needs technique work in this area.

Room to improve his judgment and consistency fielding punts. Only 12 career receiving scores in 34 career starts.

COMPARES TO: Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville Jaguars – Beckham and Shorts are both exciting players with the ball in their hands and have shown steady improvements catching the ball over the years.

I guess my only issue w that is how does signing Patterson fit? Won’t he be taking reps from a younger player? Is he the long term future?

As for the draft, I don’t see any chance Idzik trades up. In fact, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t trade down.

Connor Rogers

@Leebur

I completely understand that. Beckham Jr. would be a nice addition to the receiving corps.

joeydefiant

if the jets dont draft marqise lee im joining the fandom of the giants.

KAsh

@Lidman

Patterson is a camp body. He might not make the final roster, so adding him for the sake of competition is not a big deal.

@LeeBur

Cooks has some talent – speed, which he relies on too much in my opinion, he locates the ball well in the air, he has good hands, and he fights for the ball in the air – but those do not overcome his negatives. He had a quarterback that fed him the ball and an offense that often schemed him open. A lot of his production was with multiple receivers blocking in front or drawing coverage away from him. By himself, Cooks is very rigid as a runner and tips off the coverage before he makes his move. His turns slow him down a lot. He only created separation with his elite speed, which he will not be able to do at the next level. To be frank, Cooks’s routes are so bad, he lost space whenever he made a cut. In one game, Cooks ran this great go route where he just blew past the unprepared defender for a touchdown, but he is too short to beat corners and fool safeties on those routes at the next level, and he will not separate from coverage on cuts to increase the window. Slow his tape down, and you will see rounded routes, and corners reacting to his turns before he even goes into them. He was the fastest athlete on the field and I do not know what he will do when he no longer is.

I would disagree. when you give a guy a $1mm signing bonus,
and a $3mm contract, he’s a bit more then a ‘camp body’. Jacoby Ford got a $65k signing bonus, and $740k. That’s a camp body, IMO.

I’d also disagree on Cooks. I haven’t watched every route the kid ran last year, but I have seen highlights where he clearly gains separation from his route running. To give ‘one offs’ isn’t productive. I think I said this before: the kid had 124 catches last year. To suggest all of them were a result of his athletic ability, alone, is a bit ludicrous. If this were the case, football coaches would be poaching track stars at their various schools. But, on speed, you continually say things like: ‘He only created separation with his elite speed, which he will not be able to do at the next level’ and ‘He was the fastest athlete on the field and I do not kno
w what he will do when he no longer is’.

The kid ran a 4.33, he’s going to be the fastest guy on the field 95% of the time, so his elite speed will always be his greatest asset. Route running can be greatly improved with coaching and reps. You can’t say the same about elite speed.

Jeremiah Johnson

Lidman, your comment about Patterson not being a camp body because he has a $3M contract is incorrect. According to nj.com “Overthecap.com has the low-down on Patterson’s deal, and it calls for just $1 million in guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus, plus $1.5 million in base salary and up to $500,000 in per-game bonuses”

Love the Jason Verrett pick. I am not surprised to see people dislike it because the media scouting report on him isn’t great (always mentions his size and alludes to short corner cliches).

Jason’s tape is better than any corner in this draft. He is an excellent tackler, which for an undersized player speaks to their overall technique and approach to the game.

Verrett’s skillset in man coverage allowed TCU to live on man coverage and trusted him on an island with opponent’s #1s. Antione Goodley for Baylor (top receiver prospect for 2015) was held to one catch for 13 yards. I would recommend watching that matchup before knocking this pick.

He is this year’s (defensive) version of Stedman Bailey. By that I mean most media scouting reports can’t find a legitimate knock on him but they “know” he isn’t the best so they point to something like size. Trust your own judgement on this one.

Funny, I think if you reread my 1st paragraph, you’ll see I acknowledge the signing bonus. Apologies, I’m under the assumption most people who actually spend the time to follow, and even more comment on, a site like this understand the majority of NFL salaries are not guaranteed. That said, I will again refer to the Patterson v Ford example. The NYJ guaranteed Patterson $1mm, up front. They guaranteed Ford $65k. Both are serious positions of need, yet they guaranteed the CB 15+ times more than they did the WR. The day Patterson came in to sign his contract, the Jets did a video interview, and posted it to their website, for their fans to see (‘hey look what we did’): http://goo.gl/3WZi1L. Where is the video for Ford? He did get a ‘blog post’ http://goo.gl/GYHM26. Kash suggested Patterson was simply a ‘camp body’. I disagreed based on his signing bonus, the likelihood he receives his salary, and how the team publicized his signing. Dems da facts ‘brah’…..

Jeremiah Johnson

You are conveniently ignoring (again) Patterson’s contract also includes **roster** bonuses, which indicates that they do not completely expect him to play every game this year. It is likely Jets are protecting themselves against injury as well as a scenario where a young player or rookie (this draft is VERY deep in CBs) outperforms him, similar to veterans signed last year, like Anotonio Garay or Stephen Peterman.

No I didn’t . I’m not a cap expert, but according to this:http://goo.gl/i2WfJA his base salary is $1.5mm. Now, the NYJ can not protect themselves against injury on that number, if he makes the team. If he is on the 53 man roster, that salary gets paid whether he’s active or not. The 500k you refer to, appear to be an incentive bonus for playing time, it’s in additon to his $1mm signing bonus, $1.5mm salary and $187.5m roster bonus. Further, the Patterson signing isn’t anything like either Garay or Peterman. If they cut him tomorrow, he’ll count $1mm agains their cap this year. They fully expect him to make the team. Garay and Peterman, received signing bonuses of $65k, and $50k. That’s all the dead money they accounted for: http://goo.gl/KkFco5. They brought Patterson in here to play. If Idzik’s long term plan is not to stand in the way of young players getting reps, I wonder how a move like this fits, compared to bringing in a Revis or DJax-2 players who while more expensive, would have made the team significantly better, and not had a major impact on the long term financial flexibility. It was simply a hypothetical.

But, if you want to keep on arguing Kash’s point, have at it. Teams don’t give away $1mm signing bonuses on ‘camp bodies’. I mean from what we’ve observed of Idzik, do you really believe he would just give away $1mm in cap space, on a player he believed wouldn’t make the roster?

joeydefiant

You compare Verrett to this years stedman bailey as if thats a good thing. Did bailey even make a catch in the NFL?

Drew

My comparison is to say that Stedman proved to be better than the ‘media scouts’ projected. I could have also used JJ Watt as an example, but I don’t want people to think I am comparing talent levels. I am comparing media perception.

JJ Watt’s 2011 scouting report was reused by everyone. “High motor”, “limited pass rush moves”, “Compares to Adam Carriker”. Then these reporters knock the Texans for “reaching” after draft. It’s as though one person does the scouting and everyone re-uses the analysis.

Do not get too upset over any pick if your are basing your judgement off someone else’s analysis. Verrett is an example of a guy that you are better off judging based off your analysis.